The Times - UK (2021-12-18)

2 2GM Saturday December 18 2021 | the times

News

MPs are to hold an inquiry into the gov-

ernment’s trade deal with Australia,

warning that its benefits could be less

than ministers have claimed.

The deal was formally agreed on

Thursday night after months of hag-

gling over details of the pact that was

agreed in principle last July.

Ministers claimed that it would un-

lock £10.4 billion of extra trade between

the countries, boosting the economy

while eliminating tariffs on all exports.

It was also claimed that the deal

would increase GDP by about £2.3 bil-

lion or 0.08 per cent in 2035 — a signifi-

cant increase on earlier estimates.

The Commons international trade

committee said, however, that it was

concerned about whether the details of

the agreement lived up to the claims.

“We have particular concerns over

how the economic benefit of the new

deal has been calculated,” Angus Mac-

Neil, the committee chairman, said.

“The government’s own initial scop-

ing assessment suggested that the

resulting long-term UK GDP gain

could be as little as 0.01 per cent. We will

be paying close attention to the figures

MPs question Australian trade deal

Oliver Wright Policy Editor in the government’s impact assessment

document for the signed deal.

“It’s critical that we have enough

time to scrutinise the details of the deal

to assess the benefits and trade-offs, so

that we can inform parliamentary

debate.”

The National Farmers’ Union

claimed that the deal was “one-sided”

and left its members “wondering what

has been secured for them”.

Minette Batters, the union president,

said: “This deal simply serves to heap

further pressure on farm businesses at

a time when they are facing extraordi-

nary inflationary pressure and sus-

tained labour shortages.

“I hope that MPs will now take a

good, hard look at this deal to see if it

really does match up to the govern-

ment’s rhetoric to support our farmers’

businesses and safeguard our high

animal welfare and environmental

standards. I fear they will be dis-

appointed.”

Sue Davies, the chief policy adviser at

the consumer watchdog Which? said

that the deal’s success would be judged

by what it delivered for people in their

everyday lives.

“The focus on tariff removal may

lead to lower prices on some consumer

products, which is a positive step,” she

said. “However, consumers expect the

government to stand firm on the com-

mitments it has announced it has se-

cured to protect food and product stan-

dards, the environment and digital

rights.”

Lord Bilimoria, the entrepreneur,

crossbench peer and CBI president,

said that the deal had “opened up new

frontiers for British businesses”.

“This is a future proofed, truly com-

prehensive and modern agreement

that plays to Britain’s economic

strengths and competitiveness,” he

said. “The CBI and its members have

been spearheading the business voice

in these negotiations. Now is the time

for British businesses to realise these

new opportunities.”

Nick Thomas-Symonds, the shadow

international trade secretary, said it

was “notable from the outset” that the

government’s list of benefits made no

mention of climate targets or the

impact of the removal of import tariffs

on UK agriculture.

He said: “Labour will hold the gov-

ernment to account on the benefits it

has promised to deliver from this deal.”

Rail fares will increase by 3.8 per cent

next year, the Department for Trans-

port has announced.

The rise, which comes into force in

March, is pinned to the retail prices in-

dex (RPI) inflation figure from July,

allowing the department to present the

increase as below the current RPI,

which is 7.1 per cent.

Chris Heaton-Harris, the rail minis-

ter, said: “Capping rail fares in line with

inflation while tying it to the July RPI

strikes a fair balance, ensuring we can

continue to invest record amounts into a

more modern, reliable railway, ease the

burden on taxpayers and protect pas-

sengers from the highest RPI in years.

“Delaying the changes until March

2022 offers people the chance to save

money by renewing their fares at last

year’s price. That includes the 100,

people who are already making savings

with cheaper and more convenient flex-

ible season tickets.”

Fares rose by an unprecedented 1 per

cent above RPI in March this year. The

Department for Transport argued that

the 2.6 per cent increase was required

as passengers should pay more to offset

the billions in Treasury subsidy that

kept trains running in the pandemic.

The increases apply to regulated

fares, which are set by the government

and account for about half of all tickets

Rail fare increase of 3.8% hits

right balance, claims minister

Ben Clatworthy

Transport Correspondent

sold, including season tickets, off-peak

returns, and anytime fares in urban

areas. Other fares typically rise by a

similar amount overall.

“The government’s decision to hold

fares down in line with July’s inflation is

welcome compared to last year’s above

inflation increase and the rate of infla-

tion right now,” said Andy Bagnall,

director-general of the Rail Delivery

Group, which represents train opera-

tors and Network Rail and HS2.

Louise Haigh, the shadow transport

secretary, called the rise “a nightmare

before Christmas for millions of pas-

sengers”. She said: “People up and down

this country are paying the price of a

Tory inflation bombshell.”

The cost of train travel normally in-

creases on the first working day of

every year. It was delayed until March

for the first time this year because of the

impact of the pandemic.

Next year’s fare increases were due to

be announced in November but minis-

ters decided to delay because of the

backlash when the Integrated Rail Re-

view, which included the scrapping of

the eastern leg of HS2, was published.

Plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail

were also scaled back.

Fare increases

*any route Source: PA

£3,

£2,

£5,

£2,

£1,

£3,

£2,

£4,

£1,

£4,

Woking to London

Tweedbank to

Edinburgh

Brighton to

London*

Whitehaven

to Carlisle

Neath to Cardiff

Welwyn Garden

City to London

Liverpool to

Manchester*

Gloucester to

Birmingham*

Bangor to

Llandudno

Edinburgh to

Glasgow

£3,662 (£134)

£3,060 (£112)

£5,302 (£194)

£2,163 (£79)

£1,922 (£70)

£3,300 (£153)

£2,865 (£105)

£4,638 (£170)

£1,279 (£47)

£4,430 (£162)

Route

Price

today

After 3.1% rise

(increase)

December 17, 2020. A small number of

them, who had been in the office

throughout the pandemic and were on

duty that day, took part from their

desks, while the rest of the team were

virtual. The cabinet secretary played no

part in the event. No outside guests or

other staff were invited or present.”

One senior Whitehall figure said that

Case, 42, would be relieved to no longer

be responsible for the review. “When

you are cabinet secretary, you have to

write a report that creates problems for

the PM that puts you in an incredibly

difficult place. Far better for him that

they are forced to bring in someone

independent.”

Get your act together, Tories warn

Johnson, pages 6-

By-election defeat leaves PM badly

damaged, leading article, page 41

continued from page 1

Inquiry in disarray Profile

S

ue Gray’s appointment to

take charge of the

investigation into Downing

Street parties is a return to

prominence for a civil servant

once considered Whitehall’s

sleazebuster in chief.

Gray, 64, has spent six years

running the Cabinet Office’s

propriety and ethics team. She

ended the careers of three cabinet

ministers, vetted prime ministerial

memoirs and was the arbiter of

right and wrong in the corridors of

power. Sir Oliver Letwin, the

former Conservative minister, only

half jokingly described her as the

woman who really runs Britain.

It was her investigation into

Theresa May’s deputy, Damian

Green, in 2017 that led to his
forced resignation after she found
he had lied about pornography on
his Commons computer.
In 2018 she left Whitehall for a
new role as permanent secretary
of Northern Ireland’s finance
department. Gray has links to the
province. Her otherwise dull
official biography states that she
“took a career break to run a pub
in Newry, Northern Ireland”. A
mother of two, she is married to a
country singer who has worked
with Robbie Williams and Ronan
Keating. She returned to London
in April as second permanent
secretary in the Cabinet Office
with responsibility for the union,
and moved with Michael Gove to
his new Department for Levelling
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THE WEATHER

26

12

12

4

7

7

9

9

6

3

Largely dry, but widespread cloud
and some fog. Sunny in northern
Scotland. Full forecast, page 85

Troops ‘will not

enter Ukraine’

Ben Wallace, the
defence secretary, has
said it is “highly
unlikely” that Britain
or its allies will send
troops to help defend
Ukraine if Russia
invades. Page 4

Vengeful son

guilty of murder

Watchdog chief

resigns early

The new head of the

Charity Commission

has quit before taking

up his post after The

Times uncovered how

a bullying inquiry led

to his resignation from

an aid agency. Page 5

Klopp: Players

must get jab

Jürgen Klopp, the

Liverpool manager,

said that players had a

duty to get vaccinated.

The Premier League is

preparing for crisis

talks over the impact

of Covid. Sport, pullout

Berlusconi plots

presidential bid

Silvio Berlusconi, 85, is
aiming to round off his
career by becoming
the Italian president.
He has been sounding
out MPs who will elect
Sergio Mattarella’s
successor. Page 52

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A man has been found

guilty of murdering

one of Britain’s richest

men and trying to kill

his own mother after

years of harbouring

resentment against the

couple. Pages 10-

COMMENT 37

LEADING ARTICLES 41

REGISTER 86

CROSSWORD 91

TV & RADIO

SATURDAY REVIEW

HSBC fined for

laundering flaws

HSBC has been fined

£63 million for flaws in

anti-money-laundering

systems in the UK that

may have led to

terrorist financiers and

modern slavers going

undetected. Page 59

TODAY’S EDITION

NIGHT GARDENS

15 of the most

spectacular

festive light trails

PAGES 16-

ASHES WOE

Storm clouds

are gathering

over England

PAGES 2-

TAKE STOCK

How to invest

your way past

soaring inflation

PAGES 72-

WEEKEND SPORT

DAB RADIO l ONLINE l SMART SPEAKER l APP

To day’s highlights

7am

8.35am

9.10am

2.05pm

5pm

Stephen Reicher, professor of social psychology

at the University of St Andrews

Will Walden, communications

director for Boris Johnson when

he was London mayor

Lord Adebowale, chairman

of the NHS Confederation

Environment minister Rebecca Pow, right

Jane Rosenberg, professional

courtroom artist who is drawing

the Ghislaine Maxwell trial

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